Resurfacid

INCI:  Water (and) Glycolic Acid (and) Lactic Acid (and) Sodium Magnesium Silicate (and) Citric Acid (and) Xanthan Gum

Supplier:  Barnet Products     ·    

Evidence:  ●●○  Supplier-substantiated

In our formulas:  The Catalyst — 2%

What it is

Not free acid dropped into a formula. Resurfacid is a lamellar water gel — a layered clay-and-gum architecture that holds a reservoir of alpha hydroxy acids and releases them into skin gradually rather than all at once. The acid load is glycolic (the smallest and most studied AHA), lactic (larger, gentler, and a humectant in its own right) and citric.

Why it matters for changing skin

This is the ingredient most likely to have burned you before. Cell turnover slows markedly after menopause — the reason skin looks dull and products stop absorbing — and exfoliation is the correct answer. But menopausal skin is also thinner, drier and more reactive, which is exactly the skin type that conventional acids punish. Many women in this category have concluded they simply “can’t use acids.” Usually what they cannot use is the delivery.

Controlled release is the fix. Barnet’s data reports exfoliation quality maintained without the inflammation or stinging associated with conventional AHA systems. In The Catalyst it sits at 2%, buffered with sodium hydroxide to a finished pH of 5.0–5.3, which is inside skin’s own comfortable range.

What it does

Use note: AHAs increase sun sensitivity. Use The Catalyst at night and wear broad-spectrum SPF daily.

On the label you may also see it as

Glycolic Acid · Lactic Acid · AHA Complex · Alpha Hydroxy Acids